


Americana

by sudo_root_admin



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/F, The Star Ending (Cyberpunk 2077)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:55:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29726550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sudo_root_admin/pseuds/sudo_root_admin
Summary: Judy thinks it's time for V to finally meet her grandparents. She wants to bring Panam along too. But a misunderstanding throws a wrench in the plans and what should've been a simple trip turns into a journey for survival.
Relationships: Judy Alvarez/V
Comments: 5
Kudos: 37
Collections: Lizzie's Bar





	Americana

Tombstone Every Mile

Judy woke up to a beam of sunlight peeking through the tent flap. She wanted to get out of the cot without waking up V, who had Judy in a tight yet gentle embrace. Judy sneaked out of V’s hold, careful not to disturb her. Before fully standing up, she turned her body and placed her hand on the sleeping woman’s cheek. “How did I get so lucky?”, she thought to herself. She gave V a kiss on the forehead and left the tent.

Outside the tent, the Aldecaldo basecamp was just starting to come alive. The sounds of engines revving up and the whir of machinery filled the air with a sense of calm. These sounds had become routine for Judy these last three months and had helped her find a sense of normalcy -- a sense of normalcy that she lacked in Night City. 

Judy finds a table to sit at, takes out a holo and starts texting:

“Buenas. Soy Judy Alvarez y estoy buscando a Jose Alvarez. Este es su último número de teléfono conocido. Si lo conocen, pueden compartir mi número? Si no, disculpa este mensaje.”

After hitting send, Judy pushes the holo away from her. She unexpectedly pushes it too hard and it slides off the end of the table. She audibly lets out a groan and as she’s about to get up out of her chair, Panam appears from around a tent and picks it up for her. 

“Is everything alright? I think I heard you make a weird noise.” asks Panam as she settles into the seat across from Judy while dusting off the holo and handing it back to Judy.

“Uh, yeah. Everything is fine. Yeah. Everything is fine.”

“I mean, if you say so.” Panam feigns getting out of her chair when Judy stops her.

“Okay! Wait, fine. I, uh, just texted my abuelo. At least, the last known number I had for him. I’ve kind of been planning to visit him and mi abuelita for a while now. And I wanted to take V with me, I don’t know how much time we have left yet and I don’t know if it’s even the right number and what if V doesn’t even want to go and -- “

Panam interrupts her, “Judy, slow down! This sounds like an awesome idea and I think V would be excited to go. You’ve mentioned your grandparents before. They’re in Oregon right?”

“Yeah, last I heard they were near Portland.”

“That’s preem! That’s a straight shot through the I-5. You’d make it there in two days with a couple of Aldecaldo vehicles and nomads. We’d have to be careful, but if we’re smart about it, there should be no issues. I’ll make sure you two get back safe too.”

“Panam, I --”, Judy hesitates. She lays a hand over Panam's outstretched hand on the table and says her next words deliberately.

“I don’t think we are coming back.”

“What do you mean?” Panam replies back angrily but leaves her hand under Judy’s.

“It’s been 3 months since V and I have been here. You know as well as I do that means we may have another 3 months left with V. I want to show her the mountains, the forests, and make her touch snow. And --” at this Judy stops and takes a deep breath as if to stop herself from crying, “-- I want to be with my grandparents when she dies.”

Panam moves her hands from under Judy’s and wipes her wet eyes. She stands up and pushes the chair away from her. 

“But what about us! The Aldecaldos! What about Mitch. What about Carol? Dakota? Teddy?” Panam takes a breath. “What about me?”

Without hesitation Panam starts crying. Judy comes over to her and hugs her, letting Panam cry into her greased-stained crop top. 

“C’mon Panam, let’s go to the bar.”

“Judy, it’s still early. I can’t drink right now.”

“No, you gonk. Let’s get a lemonade.”

Judy hops over to the empty bar and grabs two lemonades.

“Panam, I want you to come with me. With us. I want you to be there. ‘Til the end.”

“Fuck, Judy. You could’ve started with that.”

“Yeah well, you didn’t really let a girl talk.”

“Okay, yeah. But what about the Aldecaldos. I can’t leave them alone for three months.”

“Listen. A good leader can leave their team alone to manage themselves for a bit. You’ve got Mitch who can help out while you’re gone.”

“ V thinks the world of you. And I know you think the world of her. It doesn’t feel right for you to not be there with her at the end.”

“Okay, fine. I can’t let you gonks get yourself into trouble anyway. Do you have any plans on when you’re doing this?” Panam asks.

“Not yet. I wanted to get an answer from you and from my grandparents before I asked V. I wanted everything in place before I got her hopes up. I’ve got you, so I’m a third of the way there.”

From a distance Judy could see her home tent flap open. V was awake. V had noticed Judy at the bar and waved at her and headed towards Judy and Panam.

Judy picks up a handful of ice and passes it over to Panam.

“What’s this for?”

“Trick I learned at Lizzie’s. Put the ice under your eyes to help with the puffiness. Unless you want V to know you’ve been crying?” Judy says with a smile.

Panam places the ice right on her eye bags and appreciates the nice reprieve from the Southern California heat. She throws the ice into the sand as V hops onto the steps and into the bar.

V gives Judy a kiss on the cheek and a head nod to Panam. 

“What have y’all been doing without me?” asks V as she finds a bar stool to sit on.

“Oh, nothing. Just thinking of how I’m going to put you to work today.” Judy coyly replies.

“Oh, gross.” says Panam as she jokingly rolls her eyes.

Judy’s holo starts ringing and it’s the number she had called earlier. She drops the lemonade that’s in her hand. 

V asks, “Jude, are you okay.”

“Yeah, just. Lemme take this call.”

Judy accepts a call and an older woman appears. Her long black hair is divided into dutch braids with thin strips of colored fabric woven into the hair. Her skin is a shade darker than Judy’s but she has the same eye shape and smile.

“Hola, ¿me pueden oír?” the older woman says.

“Yes -- si, te puedo oir!”, Judy yells. At this, Panam and V start paying attending to Judy’s call.

“Mijita! Judy! Jose, ven aca! ella nos encontró!”, the older woman seems to yell to another person in the room she’s in.

An older man comes into view. His head is covered in salt-and-pepper hair. Dark-framed glasses sit on his nose and look almost too big for his face. 

“Judy, mija. I’m so glad you messaged me. Me and your abuelita Carmen have missed you so much. How are you, are you still in Night City?”

V overhears “abuelita” over the holo and immediately rushes over to Judy’s side. 

“Are those your grandparents? Let me see! Can I say hi! Please!”, V begs.

“I’m still in Night City, abuelo -- no V, I’m not --”, Judy nudges her elbow into V’s side.

“Mija, who’s that? con quien estas hablando?” asks Jose

“Disculpame abuelo, that’s my novia.” replies V.

“Novia? Pero, let me see her!” Carmen says from the background.

With a touch of a button Judy shares her holo call so that V can see Jose and Carmen and Carmen can see Judy and V.

“Hello Mr and Mrs. Alvarez. Nice to meet you. I’m Valerie, you can call me V.”

“Nice to meet you V. You can call us abuelo and abuelita.”  
“Okay, abuelo and abuelita. You know, I heard you live in Oregon. I’ve always wanted to visit. Maybe Judy can take me sometime. I hear it’s beautiful up there!”

Jose quizzically looks at Judy and V. 

“I hear it’s beautiful too. But we don’t live in Oregon.”

“What do you mean? I thought you lived near Portland.” Judy asks and puts her hand on her chin.

“Ay chiquitita, we do live near Portland. Portland, Maine. Other side of the country.”

Across the bar a beer bottle opens. Panam takes a swig of the carbonated liquid.

“I take it back. Guess it isn’t too early to drink.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm retconning Judy's grandparents living in Maine! I think traveling through a 2077 America makes for an interesting story. 
> 
> Each chapter will have a reference to the state their driving through or will drive through. So listen to the song after the chapter to avoid spoilers!


End file.
